Don’t trust “those” numbers! Advertising of “vitamin C skincare” products

Numbers make statements look more “attractive”, and advertisers use this psychological tool to manipulate people into buying junk.

What does it mean by “50x more effective than other forms of Vitamin C”?     Nothing. But that 50X catches your attention long enough for you to pay  $140 for 30 mL of nothing serum.

Numbers are no good unless there is a precise description of how they were obtained. Numbers are no good unless you can trust the source.

And yet, the advertised chemical, tetrahexyldecyl ascorbate (THD ascorbate) is likely to have 0 (zero!) vitamin C activity.

How do you measure vitamin C activity? Scurvy is caused by vitamin C deficiency and can be prevented and treated with vitamin C-containing foods or dietary supplements.

Manufacturers should have to prove that THD ascorbate has Vitamin C activity. For example, does THD ascorbate cure scurvy? Does THC ascorbate become L-ascorbic acid within the skin? Does THD ascorbate (or its products of degradation within the skin) reduce oxidized Vitamin E?  Answers to these questions are nowhere to be found.

Are there any scientific publications describing the effect of THD ascorbate? I found six, but none of them shows how this chemical affects the skin.

In short? An example of “new will sell”.

If you want vitamin C activity, go for what works: L-ascorbic acid, or a non-acidic (and stable) magnesium ascorbyl phosphate.

And remember: when you use a “no good” skin product, you are wasting not just money but also the opportunity of benefiting your skin.

DISCLAIMER: These claims have not been evaluated by the FDA and are not intended to diagnose, cure, treat, or prevent any disease.